According to a report published by three agencies of the United Nations, Pakistan has been ranked third among the top 10 countries with the highest number of maternal deaths, neonatal mortality, and stillbirths in 2020. The report, titled “Improving maternal and newborn health and survival and reducing stillbirth – the progress report 2023,” was jointly published by WHO, Unicef, and UNFPA.
The report reveals that a total of 4.5 million deaths occurred worldwide in 2020, including 0.29 million maternal deaths, 1.9 million stillbirths, and 2.3 million newborn deaths. The regions most affected by these fatalities were Sub-Saharan Africa and Central and Southern Asia. However, there is variation among regions in terms of progress towards achieving the global 2030 targets.
The top 10 countries with the highest burden of maternal deaths, stillbirths, and newborn deaths account for 60 percent of the global statistics. The countries leading this list are India, Nigeria, Pakistan, Congo, Ethiopia, Bangladesh, China, Indonesia, Afghanistan, and Tanzania. The report was released ahead of World Population Day, observed on Tuesday.
In Pakistan alone, there were a total of 474,000 maternal deaths, stillbirths, and neonatal deaths in 2020. This accounts for 10 percent of the global figures, while the country’s share of live births was 5 percent. Specifically, there were 10,000 maternal deaths, 207,000 stillbirths, and 257,000 neonatal deaths.
The report highlights that over the past two decades, Pakistan has faced natural disasters and humanitarian crises that significantly impacted resource allocation, planning, service provision, and uptake at the national and sub-national levels. These emergencies have disrupted routine care and caused widespread displacement. Although provincial leadership has played a role in risk mitigation and resource mobilization, maternal and perinatal health have not always been prioritized at the service delivery level.
The Covid-19 pandemic further exacerbated the situation, resulting in a decline in antenatal care visits, facility births, and postnatal care. To address these challenges, Pakistan developed policies, guidelines, and plans. Their strategic framework during and post-Covid-19 included advocating for the protection of maternal and newborn health services, segregating maternal health units from Covid-19 cases, ensuring the safety of healthcare workers, and maintaining the supply of essential drugs and equipment.
The progress report emphasizes that global progress in reducing maternal and newborn deaths and stillbirths has slowed down in the last decade. The gains made between 2000 and 2010 were more significant compared to the progress achieved since 2010. It is crucial to identify the reasons behind this slowed pace and take action to address them. The Covid-19 pandemic, climate change, conflicts, and rising living costs within countries pose significant challenges that could further hinder progress. Therefore, urgent investment and efforts towards achieving maternal and newborn health targets are needed.
Acknowledgement/ Credit: Daily Dawn- 11 July 2023